This year's Evseev?

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turnbuckle*

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I'm starting to wonder (well, I've been truthfully wondering for awhile) If Latendresse doesn't turn out to be this year's Evseev, someone rated as a top three pick the year before his draft, dropped significantly on every list except Red Line reports as scouts more thoroughly studied his game, still hyped by many at HF boards despite the alarm bells, only to drop out of the first round completely.

McKeen's had Latendresse rated 3rd overall in November - he is not even in their top 15 any more.

ISS doesn't have him in their top 15

CSS has him ranked to go in the third or fourth round

Bob McKenzie suggests that he'll probably get picked between 20-30.

My own scouting contacts have told me straight up that they would not draft Latendresse in the first round, and it's for a very good reason - they don't like his skating; in fact they were highly critical of it. One went so far as to tell me that he's "the worst skater I've ever seen".

Yet it seems like at least every second list someone makes on this board sees Latendresse cracking the top 15, if not the top 10.

Apparently a couple of teams like him much more than just about everyone else. There's also a good chance there are other players those teams like who will be available when they pick that they weren't expecting. Let's say the Rangers like Latendrese as the 12th overall prospect, but when their pick comes Parent is available and he's their 11th rated prospect. They will likely pick Parent.

Anyway, with the new rule changes supposedly going to reward speedy skaters, I would not be shocked to see Latendresse drop into the later stages of the second round. All it takes is liking one other prospect a little better to pass on him.
 

moosefan

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His speed is not that bad...his work ethic is what hurts him, he just lazes around the ice. When he starts skating his down fall is his acceleration but the rest isn't that bad, his I am not moving and let the play come to me type of attitude just does not cut it. To say he is the worst skater your source has ever seen is a bit of a stretch, he should watch more hockey, there are alot worse.
 

Vincent_TheGreat

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I watched the top Prospects game last night and his speed is fine, sure he's not a blazer, but lets face it not every player is. Lots of great players make it without being amazing skaters. What worries me is he takes shifts off, like moosefan said. If he plays consistent he will dominate. But to pull off a Evseev he would have to fall out of the 1st round which won't happen. At the very most he won't pass #21.
 

ZombieMatt

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May 20, 2002
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Whoever told you that Latendresse is the worst skater they have ever seen is useless as a scout. There is no denying he is not a good skater, but the completely bogus exaggerations that surrounds him is just mind-blowing. This is a player who was able to keep up with the pace of the QMJHL. He is not getting left behind, he is not the last guy back into his own zone. He is an UGLY skater. No doubt about it. He has choppy strides and his maneuverability in tight is bad. But in terms of his straight ahead speed, he is hardly "the worst skater ever." He wasn't even the worst skater on his line.

Now certainly, I'll be the first to fully and completely acknowledge I have only seen him play well. Extremely well in fact. He was the most dominant player in his playoff series, playing against a great prospect in Steve Bernier and many other good young players like Adam Pineault and Bruce Graham. And he dominated.

His fall doesn't make sense. He generally maintained his ranking early on when he sucked (most seem to believe that was because of recovering from his surgery, I'm not saying it is or it isn't, simply that he fell less when he was playing poorly). When he turned it up and started to produce he fell.

As for Central Scouting's ranking...frankly, they're widely acknowledged as having their heads so far in up their own body cavities they could kiss their stomachs. Their rankings are just bizarre. I think they may have actually drawn names randomly out of a hat.

I'll be the first to say Latendresse is a major wildcard in this draft. I have spoken to two teams who said that they would consider him as a top five pick. Others have said he's an early 20's choice. Where he ends up...who knows. He's a risky pick, no doubt about it, I just happen to be one of the individuals who likes how he plays when he plays well. Others don't, and he could easily be a big time faller on Sunday. But let's at least try to keep absurd hyperbole out of talking about players.
 

turnbuckle*

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The scout in question was directly responsible for Anaheim picking Lupul, Getzlaf, Perry and Smid in the past three drafts - trust me, he knows and watches plenty of prospects, and I regard his opinion very highly. But you're right, Latendresse isn't the worst skater ever (he was being a tad exaggerative), just the worst skater ever touted around here to be a top 10 NHL pick.
 

turnbuckle*

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Matt MacInnis said:
Whoever told you that Latendresse is the worst skater they have ever seen is useless as a scout. There is no denying he is not a good skater, but the completely bogus exaggerations that surrounds him is just mind-blowing. This is a player who was able to keep up with the pace of the QMJHL. He is not getting left behind, he is not the last guy back into his own zone. He is an UGLY skater. No doubt about it. He has choppy strides and his maneuverability in tight is bad. But in terms of his straight ahead speed, he is hardly "the worst skater ever." He wasn't even the worst skater on his line.

Now certainly, I'll be the first to fully and completely acknowledge I have only seen him play well. Extremely well in fact. He was the most dominant player in his playoff series, playing against a great prospect in Steve Bernier and many other good young players like Adam Pineault and Bruce Graham. And he dominated.

His fall doesn't make sense. He generally maintained his ranking early on when he sucked (most seem to believe that was because of recovering from his surgery, I'm not saying it is or it isn't, simply that he fell less when he was playing poorly). When he turned it up and started to produce he fell.

As for Central Scouting's ranking...frankly, they're widely acknowledged as having their heads so far in up their own body cavities they could kiss their stomachs. Their rankings are just bizarre. I think they may have actually drawn names randomly out of a hat.

I'll be the first to say Latendresse is a major wildcard in this draft. I have spoken to two teams who said that they would consider him as a top five pick. Others have said he's an early 20's choice. Where he ends up...who knows. He's a risky pick, no doubt about it, I just happen to be one of the individuals who likes how he plays when he plays well. Others don't, and he could easily be a big time faller on Sunday. But let's at least try to keep absurd hyperbole out of talking about players.

You have talked to two teams that said they would take him in the top five? Talking about absurd hyperbole. Now I know you're full of crap buddy. Give me a huge break. Lying doesn't make you any more correct. You just lost any credibility you had with me, and I'll be avoiding this thread from now on.
 

ZombieMatt

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May 20, 2002
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The scout directly responsible for choosing Corey Perry is clearly not concerned about the ability to skate.
 

ZombieMatt

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turnbuckle said:
You have talked to two teams that said they would take him in the top five? Talking about absurd hyperbole. Now I know you're full of crap buddy. Give me a huge break. Lying doesn't make you any more correct. You just lost any credibility you had with me, and I'll be avoiding this thread from now on.

*shrug* You can believe what you want, but two NHL regional scouts for the QMJHL directly told me that if he consistently played at the level he played versus Moncton, he would be a top five talent.

EDIT: Just as a note, I'd like to point out that I have absolutely nothing to gain by misleading people. Message boards are a great source of information, and an even greater source for misinformation. I do my best to relate my own experiences and stick to topics about players I have not only seen myself, but have heard opinoins from professional scouts.

I have absolutely nothing vested in Guillame Latendresse. Sure I picked in him a MOCK DRAFT, and I'll defend that choice based on what I know of other players, and what I have heard only of still more. Am I saying that he is a guaranteed superstar? Absolutely not. I am saying he has the ability to become a physical 30-goal scorer who plays on the top line, and I think that my designation of a "C" rating I've given somewhere elsewhere indicates that he is a risky played to reach the potential that not only do I see in him, but has been parlayed to me by those I have had the good fortune to deal with.

I have seen GL play at his best. The performance he put on in the playoffs was simply remarkable. It amazed me and it surprised the scouts I sat with on the balcony. And I have absolutely no problem believing anybody who told me that IF he could consistently play at that level, he would be just as good as anyone in the top five (forwards) not named Sidney.

I am quite simply pointing out that there are opposite ends of the spectrum. You can accuse me of lying all you want. That's unnecessary and just foolish. Unfortuantely a disagreement over a player who I acknowledge as a wildcard is no cause for me to lie and "ruin" the credibility I have established with HF readers over the past year.
 
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Vincent_TheGreat

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turnbuckle said:
You have talked to two teams that said they would take him in the top five? Talking about absurd hyperbole. Now I know you're full of crap buddy. Give me a huge break. Lying doesn't make you any more correct. You just lost any credibility you had with me, and I'll be avoiding this thread from now on.

He's not full of crap. Do you know anything about scouting players for a Draft. I have no doubt some teams have said they would take him in the top 5, but they say that about a few players, and it doesn't mean when the time comes that they would take him there! Maybe you should read a little more carefully or dig deeper, not everything is skin deep!
 

TRask

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Dec 8, 2003
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turnbuckle said:
You have talked to two teams that said they would take him in the top five? Talking about absurd hyperbole. Now I know you're full of crap buddy. Give me a huge break. Lying doesn't make you any more correct. You just lost any credibility you had with me, and I'll be avoiding this thread from now on.

If you disagree with him or question his credibility, this isnt the way to go about it... :shakehead
 

Marc-E-

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Sep 19, 2004
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Montréal, Québec
turnbuckle said:
I'm starting to wonder (well, I've been truthfully wondering for awhile) If Latendresse doesn't turn out to be this year's Evseev, someone rated as a top three pick the year before his draft, dropped significantly on every list except Red Line reports as scouts more thoroughly studied his game, still hyped by many at HF boards despite the alarm bells, only to drop out of the first round completely.

My own scouting contacts have told me straight up that they would not draft Latendresse in the first round, and it's for a very good reason - they don't like his skating; in fact they were highly critical of it. One went so far as to tell me that he's "the worst skater I've ever seen".

Latendresse reminds me Pierre Dagenais. Good shot; know how to score; lacks of skating hability & footspeed; tends to fall apart sometimes on the ice; I think McKenzie have right; he will be pick between 20-30.
 
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